Jay |
Magpie |
Jackdaw |
Rook |
Carrion
Crow |
EURASIAN
JAY
Garrulus glanarius
Resident breeder: woodland.
Birds were seen in nearly every month, but with only three records covering the final two months of the year, and there was also a surprising absence of garden records. The greatest number of reports came from the south of the recording area, influenced largely by the considerable number of visible-migration records.
Migrating and relocating birds are not normally a feature of this species within the area, but in 2005 a large movement clearly took place, between the end of August and early October. A remarkable total of 182 birds was counted in this period, a Group record, as were several double-figure day counts. These came from Thornton Moor Reservoir and Denholme Clough, as did most of the reports, and started with 25 birds over the second location on 11th September (MD, SJ), which figure was quickly surpassed by 36 at Thornton Moor four days later (DCB). Denholme Clough produced further totals of 20 on 22nd September, and 28 on 2nd October.
Elsewhere, and earlier in the year, up to five birds were seen at St. Ives, including one singing on 19th March, something not often noted for this species. Breeding clearly took place at this location, as a young bird was seen in July. It was also reported from nearby Druid’s Alter, and birds carrying nest material were seen in Low Wood, near Keighley.
MAGPIE
Pica pica
Common resident breeder: a wide range of timbered areas, including suburbs
and farmland.
The paucity of records makes meaningful comment on status impossible, but it is fairly evident the species is still abundant in urban and suburban areas (from which only one record was received!).
Birds on passage accounted for most of the numbers, and about 50 were seen passing Thornton Moor Reservoir and Denholme Clough in spring and autumn, with fifteen moving south at the latter site on 19th September. The year’s highest count, however, was 40 birds, presumably going to roost, at Luddenden Dean on 1st December.
EURASIAN
JACKDAW
Corvus monedula.
Common resident breeder: woodland areas, suburbs, farmland and rock faces.
Good numbers of birds were reported this year, in both winter periods and on autumn migration. Few birds were recorded in the summer months, and July counts of 61 at Thornton Moor Reservoir and 155 at Luddenden Dean were exceptional.
On New Year’s Day, 210 birds were seen at Thornton Moor, 80 were in the Cullingworth fields in late January, and there was an excellent tally of 530 birds flying south-east at Otley Wetland on 5th February. This site also had a high count in the second winter period, consisting of 400 birds going to roost on 24th December.
As ever, the diligently recorded Thornton Moor watch-point monopolised the autumn period, and, between 11th September and 5th November, nearly 1100 birds were seen there, with many double-figure counts, and particularly notable ones of 581 on 10th October, and 111 on 22nd. In the same month, an aberrently-plumaged bird with white primaries (less usual in this species than in the larger corvids) was seen in Shibden Valley.
Breeding was unrecorded, but birds were reported using tree cavities at St. Ives.
ROOK Corvus frugilegus.
Resident breeder: woodland and farmland.
For an often under-recorded species, it is gratifying to see that a number of good counts were made this year, almost all in the south of the area.
Many of these came from the area around Thornton Moor Reservoir, where birds were apparently represented by those wintering, as well as on post-breeding dispersal. In January there was the year’s biggest count of 245 birds, there were 60 in May, and a good total of 155 in June. Counts of 70 in August and 53 in October were also of birds on the move. Eighty birds were in the fields round Cullingworth at the end of January, and smaller double-figure counts were made at Queensbury, Leeshaw and Shibden Valley.
The only breeding data referred to a small rookery containing twelve nests in the Barden area, but doubtless many other colonies went unreported.
CARRION
CROW
Corvus corone.
Resident breeder: a wide range of wooded, farmland and moorland habitats,
and suburbs.
The most significant aspect to report on this species is that there were only eight records away from Thornton Moor Reservoir, and that only three observers submitted them! (DCB, MD, NK) Despite this, it is reasonable to suppose that the species remains common in the area, and that its status is unchanged.
Birds were present around Thornton Moor more or less throughout, but with the biggest numbers in autumn, when between ten and 55 were regularly noted, and with a maximum of 70 at the end of September. Away from here, there was a flock of 50 near Queensbury in late December, and, at the end of January, the year’s highest count of 100 birds in the Cullingworth fields.
The leucistic bird seen in some previous years wasn’t observed, though birds showing variable amounts of white in the plumage were.
COMMON
RAVEN
Corvus corax
Increasingly common resident: possible winter visitor: mainly moorland
and adjoining areas.
This is another example of a species which, in the course of ten years, has gone from being very scarce to one which is relatively common, if local. Between 1989 and 1995, birds were recorded in only four years, and in 1995 there was just one record. Contrast this with 100 records in 2005, representing every month and many parts of the recording area.
Not for the first time in this Report, Barden Scale was predominant, with many records of four and five birds, and a maximum of six on 2nd August. Given this species’ wandering attributes, it is probable other sightings within an approximate seven miles radius of the Barden area involve the same birds. Such sightings were of up to three birds at Denton Moor, Kex Gill, Norwood Edge, Middleton Moor and Timble Ings.
There has been a steady increase in sightings in the south of the area, which are unlikely to refer to the Barden population. This year, birds were reported from Stockbridge, Thornton Moor, Warley Moor Reservoir/Cold Edge, Baildon Bank, Leeshaw Reservoir, Hawksworth Moor and Soil Hill. Generally, no more than two birds were involved, but four were present at Warley Moor on 10th August. It is probable these sightings are attributable to the presence of a small sporadically breeding population in the south, which, in 2005, is thought to have raised three young. There was no suggestion of successful or attempted breeding elsewhere, though juveniles were identified at Barden Scale in August.
COMMON
STARLING
Sturnus vulgaris
Resident breeder/winter visitor: a wide range of habitats, particularly
urban areas, farmland and moorland.
Starling is never a well-reported species, and this year’s Report is particularly reliant on the information supplied from the migration watch-points in the south, especially Thornton Moor Reservoir, from where over half the records came.
In the winter months, several three-figure counts were recorded, which appear to be feeding flocks rather roosts. The highest of these were 500 at Timble Ings on 1st January, 760 at Thornton Moor on 12th March, and 1070 there on 20th November.
The latter location continued to produce large numbers of birds from the end of May throughout June (no doubt attributable to post-breeding dispersal), and in September and October, during the autumn influx. In the first of these periods, around 7000 birds were seen in total, with significant counts of 525 at the end of May, and 3500 and 1050 on two days in June. In the second period, numbers were somewhat lower, with the highest count 750 on 29th October, and an aggregate figure of some 2100 birds. The only significant count elsewhere was 360 at Cold Edge Dams in October.
Few garden records were received, but there was a tally of 40 birds in gardens in Bradford and Baildon, and, in another Baildon garden, an impressive 100 which dropped in during a snow storm. A bird in a Queensbury garden was particularly impervious to the adjacent presence of the householder, as it nonchalantly flew past into a garden shed and dived into a large plastic bin.
Breeding was totally unrecorded, but the species’ local status seems to be unchanged.